A near-disastrous first flight
US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mary Begy
Though the YF-16 had its first official flight on February 2, 1974, the anniversary of its unofficial first flight less than two weeks earlier marked an unusual first chapter for the iconic jet.
Phil Oestricher, the test pilot on the flight, intended to fly about 1,000 feet down the runway during the fast taxi test. But he avoided near disaster after a wiring issue caused the airplane’s exhaust nozzle not to open up.
“I started the run — and the airplane accelerated very smartly, of course — pulled the power back, and we had an unfortunate wiring problem when the airplane exhaust nozzle would not open up, thus killing thrust,” Oestricher said during an interview in 2012. “The airplane was very sensitive and rolled violently left; I countered with an equally violent right.”
What ensued was a pilot-induced oscillation, in which a pilot inadvertently conducts a series of corrections in an effort to control the aircraft.
“The airplane pulled back and forth really quickly,” Oestricher said. “It’s turning left all this time. I could see it was going to go out in the dirt, so I just powered up and let go of the controls and let it fly away.”
The plane banked hard left, traveling downwind, coming around, and landing shortly after. Oestricher said he was “barely touching the stick, if at all.” The short-lived flight still rendered an “incredible amount of data” about the airplane, he said.
“Having been involved in the program in the very beginning, it gives me a great sense of pride and being very thankful for having been a member of the team that produced this remarkable milestone in combat aircraft, especially by today’s standards,” Oestricher said.
